Holiday Tip: Live By Faith, Not Fear

What are you fearful of this holiday season? Managing the visitation schedule with a difficult ex-spouse? Coping with uncooperative stepchildren over a prolonged stay? Socializing with ex-in-laws?

The holiday season brings all kinds of opportunities for anxiety. But we can choose every day whether we will live by faith, or be controlled by fear.

In her book, Calm My Anxious Heart, Linda Dillow gives these thoughts on faith: "Faith is the bulwark that keeps us strong even when we're assailed by agonizing thoughts about what might happen or by what has happened. Faith enables us to be content even when life doesn't make sense."

Contrast that with fear. Fear is a self-defeating force that cripples positive action. Fear controls our mind and elicits unstable emotions. Fear drives us to an admission of defeat, giving up before accomplishing  an attainable goal.

Why would we choose fear over faith? Perhaps it's because our faith isn't strong enough to sustain us. We carry around a head full of knowledge about faith but we don't allow it to penetrate our heart. We're satisfied with a superficial level of faith.

But it doesn't have to be that way. We can commit to growing our faith through Bible study, prayer, and fellowship with other believers. We can choose to rely on the Lord for wisdom, strength, and comfort every day.

I've heard it said there are 365 fear not verses in the Bible. Isn't that interesting? God knows the stronghold of fear and gives us a verse every day to rely on for support and encouragement.

So, as you face difficult situations this season, will you rely on faith or be controlled by fear? It's a choice.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5,6)

 Are you allowing fear to creep into your heart instead of focusing on faith to overcome your struggles?    

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